1999 Volkswagen Jetta Body & Structure Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER IT RAINED, EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER LEAKED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SPECIFY WHERE THE LEAK WAS LOCATED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT DISCUSS THE FAILURE WITH HIM DUE TO A PENDING LAWSUIT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

FRONT BUMPER TOO LOW, GETS CAUGHT AND DETACHES FROM BODY OF CAR. *TR

FRONT BUMPER IS WAY TOO LOW AND SCRAPS AND GETS CAUGHT ON CURBS. THIS CAN RESULT IN THE WHOLE FRONT BUMPER COMING OFF. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT FOR FREE. NOW THEY JUST SAY WATCH HOW YOU PARK. THE TROUBLE IS, YOU CANT'S TELL WHEN YOU DRIVE OVER A CURB, ONLY WHEN BACKING OUT, DOES THE BUMPER CATCH AND PULL OFF. THIS IS A DEFECT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX, ESPECIALLY SINCE I KNOW MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN MEXICO. *TR

THIS IS A FOLLOW-ON OF MY NHTSA COMPLAINT #10175337, BECAUSE TODAY, I EXPERIENCED A THIRD WATER INGESTION INTO MY SON'S 1999 VW JETTA, AND VW OF AMERICA SAID, BASICALLY, "SORRY, WE CANNOT COVER THIS WATER DAMAGE ANY MORE THAN WE COULD COVER THE SECOND WATER DAMAGE YOU HAD ON 27 NOV 06 -- UNLIKE THE WATER DAMAGE WE COVERED FOR YOU ON THE 13 OCT 05 DAMAGE!" WITH HUNDREDS OF BLOGS COMPLAINING OF WATER LEAKAGE INTO THE JETTA'S -- INCLUDING THRU 2006 MODELS AND ACKOWLEDGEMENT BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE! -- NOBODY WITH ANY SMARTS SHOULD CONSIDER BUYING ONE OF THESE CARS THAT THE MANUFACTURER DECLINES TO ADMIT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR FROM A DEALER WHO REFUSES TO SIGN A PLEDGE THAT IF ANY FUTURE LEAK OCCURS IT WILL BE COVERED AT THEIR EXPENSE! AS AN ASIDE, NOT A SINGLE HOMEOWNER IN MY 80-HOME SUBDIVISION HAD 1-DROP OF WATER ENTRY DURING RAINS THAT ENTERED MY SON'S CAR! I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY BECAUSE OF WATER INGESTION FOR A THIRD TIME AT THE SAME POINT OF ENTRY IT DID ON THE SECOND TIME FOR AN OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE OF OVER $1000.00! I'M A DIE-HARD VW OWNER, HAVING OWNED ONE SINCE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1961, BUT MY WIFE HAS JUST DECRIED I OR OUR SON WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER! A RECALL MUST BE ISSUED BY VW AT THE BEHEST OF NHTSA, PERIOD! *NM

MY SON'S 1999 VW JETTA GLS VR6 -- AND APPARENTLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER JETTAS THROUGH MODEL YEAR 2006 IDENTIFIED ON WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG-- HAVE BEEN SEVERELY WATER DAMAGED AFTER RAIN STORMS. IN MY CASE, IT FIRST HAPPENED ON 13 OCTOBER 2005, BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW IN THE COWL-VENT/FRESH-AIR INLET SETUP THAT ALLOWED WATER IN, FLOODING THE CAR FROM UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE; ALL CARPETING AND PADDING WERE COVERED IN RED AND BLACK MOLD REQUIRING TOTAL REMOVAL, CLEANSING, AND REPLACEMENT (NOTE: NOT ANY OTHER VEHICLE IN MY CUL DE SAC, INCLUDING MY 1998 VW PASSAT, ABSORBED 1-DROP). VW OF AMERICA PAID FOR THE RESTORATION, WHICH I GRACIOUSLY THANKED THEM FOR DOING. ONE YEAR LATER, AGAIN AFTER A HEAVY RAINSTORM, WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR ON 27 NOV 06, THIS TIME THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND LEFT REAR PASSENGER SIDE CARPETING WERE FILLED WITH WATER (NOTE: AGAIN, NOT A SINGLE CAR IN MY 80-HOME SUBDIVISION LET 1-DROP OF WATER INSIDE, INCLUDING MY NEW 2006 PASSAT, MERCEDES, FORDS, HONDAS, TOYOTAS, BUICKS, MIATAS, CHRYSLERS, BRONCOS, HIGHLANDERS, VOLVOS, AND 2-CADILLACS). I TOOK THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, JUST AS A NUMBER OF OTHER VW OWNERS HAD ALSO DONE, AND NOTIFIED CORPORATE VW OF AMERICA THAT I WAS AGAIN ASKING FOR RELIEF FROM THE $800 CARPET REPLACEMENT. THIS TIME, SO FAR, THEY HAVE REFUSED ANY REIMBURSEMENT -- IN SPITE OF SOME 178 IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME DESIGN FLAW BEING POSTED IN EVER INCREASING NUMBERS ON, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CARSURVEY.ORG WEBSITE. I, MY USAA INSURANCE COMPANY, AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER VW JETTA OWNERS ASK THAT A RECALL BE IMPOSED TO RESOLVE THIS DESIGN FLAW; UNRESOLVED, IT CREATES A HEALTH HAZARD, MECHANICAL RUST DAMAGE, AND ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS (THE RADIO SOUND STOPPED WHILE I WAS EN ROUTE TO THE DEALERSHIP!). *NM

VW JETTA'S (1999 AND LATER): DRAIN SYSTEM ORIGINATING AT SUNROOF HAS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT RESULTS IN WATER BACKING UP INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. IN SEVERE STORMS, THE CAR WILL BECOME INUNDATED WITH WATER. *NM

WHEN PARKING AGAINST A CONCRETE PARKING STOP, IF YOU PULL THE FRONT TIRES ALL THE WAY TO THE STOP WHEN YOU BACK OUT YOU JUST ABOUT PULL THE ENTIRE BUMPER OFF. THIS HAPPENED ONLY A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR. WE PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPOT NOT THINKING ANYTHING OF IT. WE OWNED SIMILAR SIZED CARS BEFORE. THE GRILLWORK POPS OUT AND SNAPS BACK IN. WE LOST TWO OF THE THREE PIECES OF GRILLWORK FROM NOT REALIZING THAT THEY DO COME OUT WHEN YOU SIMPLY PARK YOUR CAR. THE FIRST I MENTIONED THE INCIDENT TO THE SERVICE TECH HE SAID I GUESS THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE PARKING STOPS IN GERMANY. THE SECOND TIME I MENTIONED IT THE SERVICE TECH SAID YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS IS A COMPACT CAR AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PULL ALL THE WAY IN. I BELIEVE THE NEWER JETTA MODELS HAVE MORE CLEARANCE THAN THE "TROUBLED JETTAS" DO.WE HAVE SOMEWHAT GOTTEN USED TO NOT PULLING IN SO FAR BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. WE ALSO REFUSE TO GET IT REPAIRED AT OUR EXPENSE. *AK

WHEN IT RAINED THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE BECAME WET. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEY FIXED IT AND TOLD THE OWNER THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE REPAIR WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE FLOORBOARD CONTINUED TO GET WET WHEN IT RAINED. THE DEALER HAS NOT PROVIDED A PERMANENT SOLUTION. *NM

PAINT ON REAR BUMPER OF 1999 VW JETTA'S CHIP & PEEL OFF ON MOST VEHICLES. REDUCES THE RESALE VALUE & APPEARANCE OF THE VEHICLE. *LA

WITH KEY IN IGNITION CONSUMER STEPPED OUT OF CAR AND DOOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED.*AK

REGARDLESS WHERE I PARK, HOME,WORK, GROCERY STORES, THE CONCRETE PARKING STOPS RIP OFF THE BUMPER AND THE ASSEMBLY THAT HOLDS THE WHEEL WELLS TOGETHER. THE FRONT GRILL PIECES ALSO POP OUT. WHO IS NOT MEETING THE STANDARDS HERE THE PEOPLE INSTALLING PARKING BUMPERS OR THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CAR?

FRONT BUMPER IS TOO LOW AND STANDARD. RIGHT SIDE/ LEFT SIDE CONTRETE GRILL WILL TAKE FRONT BUMPER OFF COMPLETELY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

BUMPER PULLED LOOSE (ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF) FROM MOUNTING BY CEMENT PARKING SPACE STOPPER WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER LINER FELL OFF CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO RUN OVER IT, DURING REPAIR OF THE FENDER LINER IT WAS NOTED THAT BOTH FRONT GRILLS WERE MISSING. NLM

WHILE ON VACATION AND PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT THE FRONT RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE BUMPER CAME OFF OF THE ONE SCREW THAT WAS HOLDING IT INTO PLACE AND THE BRACKETS CAME OUT MAKING IT UNSECURE. THE BUMPER LAY ON THE GROUND AS I PROCEEDED INTO THE PARKING LOT, SCRATCHING ON THE ASPHALT AS I HAD TO PULL IN TO AVOID A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. WENT TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY SHOP WHERE THE MAN WHO TEMPORARILY FIXED THE BUMPER TOLD ME THAT VW'S HAVE UNSECURE FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS, AND THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.*AK

FRONT BUMPER SEPARATES FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN IT TOUCHES A PARKING STOP AT LOW SPEED. DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE BUT GAVE US NO WARNING WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE BODY SHOP WE TOOK IT TOO, CARRIAGE AUTO BODY IN MARGATE, FL, BELIEVES THE BUMPER IS NOT MANUFACTURED AND INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND THAT IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE DRIVER.

POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. YH

THE CENTER CONSOLE IS BROKEN. YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK